Full Notes (PDF)
NCAA Interactive Bracket
KIRKSVILLE - - The Truman State University women's soccer squad will have revenge on its mind this week in its ninth NCAA tournament, as the region's No. 6 seed will face No. 3 Midwestern (Texas) State at 1 pm on Friday (Nov. 12) before potentially facing No. 2 Central Missouri on Sunday (Nov. 14). Both matches will be held in Warrensburg, Mo., on the campus of UCM.
Truman's three losses this season have come at the hands of MSU and UCM, as the Bulldogs (10-3-5) fell 3-2 to Midwestern State (16-3) to open the 2010 regular season before dropping 1-0 and 2-0 decisions to Central Missouri (18-0) later in the MIAA conference schedule.
The Bulldogs and MSU Mustangs will play at 1 pm on Friday with the advancing team moving on to face the UCM Jennies at 1 pm on Sunday. Midwestern State was an at-large qualifier after losing 2-0 to the region's No. 4 seed, Abilene Christian, in the Lone Star conference tournament championship match last Sunday, while Central Missouri earned the MIAA's automatic berth after going a perfect 16-0 in conference play.
Monday night's announcement marked the ninth trip overall – and fourth straight – for the Truman women's soccer program to the NCAA postseason, with each berth coming under the direction of head coach Mike Cannon.
Following Along This Week:
Live stats for Truman's match against Midwestern State will be available, and a link will be provided on the Bulldog women's soccer schedule page at TrumanBulldogs.com.
No audio or video will be available at the UCM Soccer Complex.
Admission Prices:
Ticket prices for fans wishing to attend the event in-person are $5 for adults, #3 for students (with ID) and senior citizens, and $1 for youth (ages 2-12). An all-session pass will be made available for $8 for adults and $5 for students (with ID) and senior citizens.
Per NCAA regulations, no pets will be allowed inside the facility.
Scouting the Mustangs:
MSU enters Friday afternoon's contest with a 16-3 overall record, having finished first in the Lone Star Conference regular season with a 10-1 mark. The Mustangs dropped a 2-0 decision on their home turf to Abilene Christian in the LSC championship match last Sunday. On neutral sites this year, MSU is 3-1, including wins against both Truman and Nebraska-Omaha on the season's opening weekend at the UCO Broncho Invitational.
Juniors Lindsey Pritchard and Kelsey Hill are the squad's leading goal scorers, having tallied ten each this season. As a squad, MSU is out-scoring its opponents, 40-12, on the season.
In goal, sophomore Mallory Whitworth has seen the majority of time in net, playing in 18 matches with a 0.57 goals-against average. She has allowed 10 goals on 64 total shots on target for a save percentage of 84.4%.
The Mustangs are coached by Jeff Trimble, who is in his 13th season with the program and has amassed a 160-79-20 (.656) record.
Scouting the Jennies:
UCM enters the weekend having gone a perfect 18-0 on the season, capturing the MIAA conference championship by going 16-0 in conference matches. The Jennies went 8-0 at home this season, including a 1-0 win against Truman on Oct. 1. They have not faced MSU this season.
Freshman Carly Stanley has a team-best eight goals, while both sophomore Kayla Shain and junior Cara Hennahane have chipped in six apiece. As a squad, UCM is out-scoring its opponents, 52-8, on the season.
Between the pipes, freshman Brooke Cooley has eight shutouts in 17 matches played and has posted a 0.34 goals-against average. She has allowed five goals on 31 total shots on target for a save percentage of 83.9%.
The Jennies are coached by Lewis Theobald, who is in his fourth season with the program. He has a career record of 56-13-8 (.780).
Bulldog Postseason History:
Truman has qualified for the NCAA postseason nine times and has a career record of 7-8. The Bulldogs have reached the NCAA quarterfinals three times and as recently as 2008.
The Bulldogs' last appearance came last season as the No. 4 seed in the South Central region. Truman defeated conference rival Nebraska-Omaha, 1-0, via a Riley Mahn goal in the 68th minute to advance and face top-seed West Texas A&M.
In the sub-regional championship, the WT Lady Buffs got on the board in the 54th minute on a goal by Becky Hewson, and a flurry of late opportunities for Truman all went wide and/or high, sending WT through to the regional championship match the following weekend.
All-time in postseason neutral-site matches, Truman is 2-1, having lost to UNO in 2007 in Winona, Minn., before defeating both Washburn in 2008 and UNO last season in Canyon, Texas.
All-time on the road in the postseason, Truman is 2-4 with its last win coming in the 2002 season at Northern Colorado.
Earlier This Season:
In the season-opener, Truman and Midwestern State played to a 2-2 first-half tie before the Mustangs' Brandy O'Neal scored the eventual game-winner early in the second half for a 3-2 MSU win. Truman's leading goal scorer on the season – Olivia Hayes – scored her first of the season, as did Beth Bystrom, while Kelsey Twellman notched assists on both. MSU outshot Truman, 17-6, for the match and earned seven corners to Truman's two.
Then, on Oct. 1, the Bulldogs and Jennies met at the UCM Soccer Complex, with a 43rd minute penalty kick goal by Alyssa Rhodes sealing a Jennie victory. Truman struggled to get offense going that night, getting credit for just three shots and one corner kick.
Finally, on Nov. 4, UCM made the return trip and got two first-half goals by Becky Lackey to hand the Bulldogs a 2-0 setback. Only 13 total shots were taken in the match (four by Truman) and two total corner kicks between the squads in a match played primarily in the middle-third.
